CORNERFLICK
Lionel Messi has set a new personal benchmark after being named in the FIFPRO World XI for the 18th time, moving further clear as the most selected player in the history of the team.
Record selection
The Argentina forward’s latest inclusion extends a run that has made him the most frequent pick in one of football’s most respected annual line-ups. The FIFPRO World XI is voted for by professional players around the world.
Messi has been named among the game’s best players repeatedly over the course of his career, and this latest vote adds to that record. The 18 selections are a rare achievement in a system chosen by fellow professionals rather than by writers or supporters.
Why it matters
The award is based on votes from players across the game, so repeated inclusion points to the consistency of Messi’s performances over many years. He remains clear of every other player in the competition’s history on total appearances in the team.